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Only if you must cruise from NYC

Sail Date:
November 2013

Destination:
Eastern Caribbean

Embarkation:
New York (Manhattan)

Our party of 10 sailed on 11/16-11/25 2013 from the west side of Manhattan.

Boarding was fine & my wife and I had chocolate covered strawberries and a $5 bottle of Merlot waiting for us in our stateroom. This was pretty much the end of the good, everything hereafter is a concoction of our imagination and the need to make it the best experience possible or just complain for 9 more days and I'd much rather enjoy the time.

In short let's just say the entertainment staff & activities picked up the slack for the rest of the experience. Food is a major part of our experience, the dining/wait staff could use a refresher from cooking food properly to the timing of the service. Getting water at the table at either of the dine-in restaurants was pretty difficult and came mid meal.

Leslie from entertainment is quite a character. Can definitely host a karaoke session.

Ali our steward was very good with our room & service overall but could use a More
refresher in towel animals.

The DJ from the white party knows how to spin, or maybe it was a combination of alcohol and our imagination.

Oh yes, the boat was on lockdown after at least one passenger was wheelchaired out at one of the ports b/c of a neuro virus. I believe my wife contracted this as she was in pain Wed morning 2 days after we came back. The majority of the male passengers I encountered in the bathroom did not wash afterwards. People who do not understand the importance of cleanliness on a boat do not belong on a boat. Yes it is my business as it affects OUR whole vacation, yes all 10 of my group.

So would I take another cruise? Yes but not out of NYC, 2 days at sea each way is way too much. Getting caught in a storm coming back up the Atlantic is not fun either, I know NCL can't control this though so they get a pardon for the weather.

Would I take it with Norwegian? Probably not, not even if it were dirt cheap. I'd rather pay more for better service and passengers who are more sanitary.

Also shopping at St Maarten is so much cheaper than St Thomas, for everything ! Less